Smoke-conveyer.



No. 708,035. Patented Sept, 2, I902.

- W. L. GALE. 5

SMOKE CONVEY'EB.

(Applicatioz; filed Apr. 7, 1902.) (lo Model.)

UNITED STATES WILLIAM LLOYD GALE, OF

PATENT OFFIC UISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNORV OF ONE- SMOKE-CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,035, dated September 2, 1902.

Application filed April '7, 1902- Serial N0.'101,'780. (No model.) c

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I,WIL LIA1V['LLOYD GALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Smoke-Oonveyer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in smoke and spark conveyors for railway-trains, and has for its principal object to construct an improved conveying-tube for conducting the products of combustion from the locomotive fire-box to the rear end of the train, thus preventing the smoke and cinders from entering the cars through open windows or ventilators.

A further object of the invention" is to provide a tube which may automatically adjust itself to the curvature of the train when traveling over curved sections oftrack and to provide for the reversing of the position of the various tube members should they be facing in the wrong direction when the train is being made up. g

A further object of the invention is to provide for the ready adjustment of the members of the tube to permit coupling and uncoupling.

A still further object of the invention is to. so construct the device as to permit of the adjustment of the locomotive-stack to permit of the direct escape from the stack while the train is still or running at slow speed.

With these andother objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a locomotive and train of cars, illustrating the application thereto of a smoke-conveyer in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the same, illustrating the adj ustability of the sections of the conveyer. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view illustrating the smoke-stack elevated to permit the escape of the products of combustion without passing through the conveyor. Fig. 4; is a perspective view of two of the sections of the tube detached.

.is pivoted on Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Therigid portion 5 of the locomotive-stack is made somewhat shorter than usual and is adapted for the reception of a telescopicallyadjustable tube 6, having projecting pins 7, resting on arms 8, which are supported by a rock-shaft 9, adapted to suitable bearings projecting from the boiler-casing. One end of the shaft 9 projects within the cab of the engine and is provided with a lever 10, which may be manipulated by the engineer or fireman to effect the raising or lowering of the tube 6.

The locomotive-section of the conveyor is rigidly secured on supporting-posts 12, arranged at the front and rear of the stack, the lower edge of the conveyor being on a line with the top of the stationary stack 5 and the movable section 6 of the stack being of a length snflicient to extend through an opening 13 in thetop of the tube, as shown in Fig. 3, whenit is desired to allow the products of combustion to escape directly to the outer air, as where the engine is standing still or running at slow speed. The opening 13 is normally closedby a hinged lid or cover 14:, locked in closed position by a catch 15, which a pin 16 and is movable to looking position by gravity. The lower end of the catch rests within the edge of the smokestack, and the first movement of the stack in assuming the elevated position moves the catch to effect the release of the lid or cover, the cover being raised and held in elevated position bycontact with the stack. When the stack is'lo wered, the lid descends by gravity, and the catch automatically reassumes the locking position. The weight of the lower portion of the catch and its position with respect to the stack are such as to prevent any accidental opening of the catchby the blast from the steam-exhaust.

The forward end of theconveyer is flared, presenting a large opening, in order to concentrate the volume of air flowing through the conveyr, the speed of travel of the air.

being in proportion to the speed of travel of the train and acting much on the same principle as an ejector to increase the draft and draw the sparks and cinders from the stack. In order to assist the entrance of the smoke to the tube, a curved wind-guard is provided, as indicated at 15, the guard being inclined upwardly and rearwardly and secured to the bottom portion of the tube at a point between the front end of the tube and the smoke-stack, the guard compelling a slight upward movement of the volume of air,and thus permitting and facilitating the entrance of the products of combustion to the tube.

At the rear end of the stationary portion of the tube is mounted the first of the adj ustable sections which render the tube flexible. This section 17 has a flaring end portion for the reception of the rear end of the stationary tube and is flexibly connected thereto by interlinked loops 18, which may be formed of heavy wire or small eyes and arranged at the top and bottom of the adjoining tube-sections, permitting considerable movement of the section 17 to accommodate a curved portion of the railway-track. The enlarged end of the section 17 is at the front, or in the direction in which the train is running, and as the joint is comparatively loose the travel of the train will permit air to enter and prevent the escape of smoke or cinders at this point.

On the locomotive-tender are two vertically-disposed supporting-frames 20, having bearings at their upper ends for the reception of pivot-studs 21, serving as supports for tubing-sections, each comprising three separate members, of which the center 22 is rigidly secured to the pivot. The remaining portion of each section is practically of the same construction as the central section, the ends of the tubes being of different diameter and interfitting telescopically, so that the length of each section may be increased or diminished in order to permit their separation when itis desired to turn the sections on the pivots or for manipulation when the car is being coupled onto the rear end of the tender. The three members 22, 23, and 24, which comprise a section, are each provided with radially-projecting pins 25, adjacent pins on the respective members being coupled together by elongated links 26, carried by or forming part of adjusting-levers 27, which may be moved to permit the sections to lengthen out by bringing the longer diameter of the link parallel with the longitudinal center of the tubing or may be turned at a right angle to the tube, the pins being drawn together and the length of the section diminished. The various members of each section are connected together by springs 28, which tend to separate the members and lengthen the sections, said springs yielding under pressure and permitting the shortening of the tube as the train runs on a curved section of the track. The springs further serve to keep adjacent sections properly connected together, while yielding to every movement of the train as the cars are separated or drawn together at various times during the run.

At the central portion of the roof of each passenger-car is a pivot-pin 30, on which is mounted an elongated section of tubing 31, having at each end a telescopic section 32, corresponding to the sections 23 and 24 and mounted in a similar manner to permit increase or decrease in the length of the section to insure the flexibility of the tube as a whole and (to permit its being turned on the pivot-pin in order to change the position of the section end for end. Atapoint near the end of the roof of each passenger-car where the greatest flexibility of the tube is required is arranged a pivot-pin 35, on which is mounted a revoluble section comprising five members 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40, the end sections 39 and 40 being of a construction similar to the tube members 23 and 24 and connected to the intermediate members 37 and 38 by similar tension-springs and adjustable levers. The central section 36 is flared at one end for the reception of the tube member 37 and is connected thereto by interengaging links or eyes 18, similar to those employed for connecting the two tube members on the locomotive, and the intermediate section 38 is a somewhat similar construction, being flared for the reception of the smaller end of the central member and connected to said central member by interengaging links or eyes 18. As all of the tube members having flaring months are arranged with the larger ends toward the engine, no smoke or cinders can escape while the train is running, owing to the continuous current of air which will force its way into the tube through the flared mouths.

The construction is such that the tube as a whole is sufficiently flexible to yield to every movement of the train, and the telescope members being connected by springs permit the lengthening or shortening of the tube as the length of the train increases, as during the ascent of a heavy grade or the shortening of the train due to the application of the brakes or in running downgrade.

As a further support for the tube at points between the cars, each car is provided with a supporting-rail 41, arranged on a curved line struck from the pivot-pins at the ends of the cars, and on said car is placed a lever 42, having a lower handled end, the upper end of the lever being bifurcated to form a receiving-seat for the tube. The lever is provided with an elongated slot and has two or more notches 44 for the reception of the bar, permitting a vertical movement of the ends of tubes when it becomes necessary to couple tubes on cars of slightly dilferent type, while the curvature of the supporting-bar permits the free swinging movement of the lever with the tube-sections. When cars are being coupled together the levers may be properly manipulated to cause the engagement of the tibules, where the vertical supporting-levers would be in the way.

While the construction herein described,

and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is the preferred form of the device, it is obvious that various changes in the form,proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention. Having thus described my invention, What I claim is v 1. A smoke-conveying tube for railwaytrains, comprising a series of adjustable sectime each comprising a plurality of telescopicmembers, springs tending to separate said members, and means for drawing the members together to contract the tube.

2. A smoke-conductor for railway-trains,

comprising a plurality of sections independently pivoted on the roof of each car, each of such sections comprising a plurality of yieldably-connected telescopic tubular 'members.

3. A smoke-conductor for railway-trains,

comprising a reversible pivotally-mounted section mounted centrally on each car, inde-.

pendent sections pivotally mounted near the ends of each car, all of such sections being reversible and each comprising a plurality of tubular members having yielding connec- The latter method of coupling is- I more especially adapted for carshaving yessection rigidly supported on the engine and in communication with the smoke stack, said section havinga top opening, a movable cover for said opening, a telescopic'stack member carried by the smoke-stack and adjustable through the opening, and means for adj usting said telescopic member.

6. In a device of the class specified, a tube carried bythe engine and having an open front end, there being an opening in the top of the tube at a' point over the top of the smoke-stack, and an adjustable smoke-stack connecting with the tube and movable through said opening.

7. In a device of the class specified, atube carried by the engine and having an opening above the smoke-stack, a movable cover for said opening, a stack having a section adj ustable through said opening, and a cover-holding catch having a portion arranged in the path of movement of the stack.

8. In a device of the class specified, a tube carried by the engine and having a flared front end. open for the admission of air and provided with a top opening above the smokestack, a hinged cover for said-opening, a telescopic smoke-stack adjustable through the opening, a gravity locking-catch arrangedin the path of movement of the smoke-stack and serving to keep the cover normally in closed position, and means for raising and lowering the movable portion of the smoke-stack.

9. In a device of the class specified, a smokeconducting tube pivotally mounted. on topfof a car, an end rail arranged on a curved line concentric with the pivotal axis of the tube, v and a vertically-adjustable supporting-lever carried by and movable on said end rail, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM LLOYD GALE.

Witnesses:

HOWARD J EFFERIS, EDWARD WALKER. 

